I interviewed Sara McNally about her new book, The Year I Became Snail Mail Superstar. Sara started writing the book when she was gifted a large postcard collection from her great-grandfather. But what started out being a book about a postcard collection grew into what she says “chronicles a year in which she walked with grief, took a deep dive into her family history, and got to know her great-grandfather through his postcard collection.“

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Check out the great cards at Sara’s Constellation & Co

In this short episode, I talk about Christmas postcards I’m writing and sending. I spend some time chatting about Edition Tausendschön cards; getting a special cancellation from Santa Claus, Indiana; and why I have so many postcards on my desk but am always looking for more. 

What does a Postcardist do on a 2,762-mile road trip? Stop and look for postcards, of course. This show was recorded on highways of the United States, from Connecticut to Minnesota. And it chronicles how Steven Roche (E44) and I stopped at nine Cracker Barrel stores searching for Lantern Press postcards. We also visited Niagara Falls, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Notre Dame University. Did we buy postcards? You bet we did. And we talk about that, too.

In this episode, I talk with Postmarked New Orleans author Jason Smith from his home in The Big Easy and we talked about where he got the idea for the book, about New Orleans history, and about a famous postcard featuring Oysters Rockefeller at Antoine’s.

This short show is asking for audience feedback about how they acknowledge and display incoming postcards. Help!

In this episode I’m delighted to welcome back Ashli Ahrens of Mailbox Memories to talk about a First Day of Issue event she attended to celebrate the issue of the Post Office Mural stamp set. In the show Ashli refers to to a special giveaway she created. You can find her @mailboxmemories on IG.

A set of links to items mentioned during the show:

Evan Kalish’s Living New Deal post about the post office murals

USPS YouTube video of the Post Office Murals FDOI (1:11)

Post masters: Arkansas post office art in the New Deal by John Gill

Things to do in Piggott, Arkansas 

The Inn at Piggott

Jeff Bezos and the 10,000 postcards launched into space

First Day Cover address and dates

Santa Claus, Indiana

In this episode, Dr. Russ Romano talk about postcards and all the places that can take us. From his Postcards for Good to a world tour on The Partridge Family Bus, we cover a lot of ground on this show.

The Apollo 11 moon landing happened 50 years ago. And that event was memorialized in many ways — including on postcards. In this episode, I talk to preeminent postcard collector Mark Routh of Mark’s Postcard Chat. Of course, when I get a chance to talk to Mark, we also cover a lot of postcard collecting ground. Mark offers pointers about how to get the best cards in spinners; where to find collectable cards in obscure places; and securing cachets for your postcards.

Apollo 11 by Erick Sahler

In this episode, I chat with postcard enthusiast Magdalena Wojcicka. You know her on Instagram as Bohemian Me, Stamp and Away, and on her stamp jewelry site Travel Trinkets Canada.

Here’s the wooden Lantern Press postcard Magda sent me from The Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton, AB along with an actual photo Magda took of the hotel lobby.

After what started out to be a brief hiatus turned into a couple months of radio silence. But your host, Frank Roche, is back with a new show with three stories: one about a hand cancellation experience at a post office in Minnesota; a second story about a man who listened to short-wave radio during WWII and sent postcards to families if he hear their solider was alive; and a third about meth-laced postcards being sent to prisons. Yep. Welcome back.